Mashing The Swede

‘FOR those sports hacks like Jeff Powell who have never forgiven Sven Goran Eriksson for not being English, the pictures of him apparently in discussions about taking on the Chelsea job are the final straw.

Sweden’s Mary Archer

But should the FA have expected anything different?

After all, it is well-known that lying and cheating are a way of life in the big country called Abroad, which is from where Eriksson hails.

‘Dispatch the blackguard back to the Swedish vegetable patch whence he came,’ screams Powell in the Mail after this latest perfidy.

‘England is not to be treated like sad old Mary Archer by her Lord Jeffrey Lothario. Nor like Nancy Dell’Olio, come to that.

‘This is our England, our pride and joy. Sometimes she is our despair but still she is ours and woe betide any man who trifles with her favours.

‘Cuckolding the England team is a treacherous offence, no less.’

With tears welling in our eyes and hatred in our hearts for Abba, Volvos and Tiger Woods’ girlfriend (hint to picture editor), we get ready to hear the other side of the argument.

And that is provided by Steve Curry, who argues that the FA could not afford to sack the England coach, especially with no obvious replacement.

‘There is an old saying that even when you have chosen your meal, there is nothing wrong in looking at the menu,’ he says – and a veteran of a great many menus he looks too.

Meanwhile, all talk in the papers is how Leeds are accusing Liverpool of ripping them off over the deal to take Harry Kewell to Anfield.

The Elland Road club claim they will get only £3m from the sale of the Aussie star – less than the player himself will pocket.

‘Kops And Robbers,’ says the Mirror, which claims that Kewell had threatened to sit out the remaining year of his contract with Leeds if he wasn’t allowed to leave.

One person who won’t be moving clubs this summer is Thierry Henry, with the Gunners telling Chelsea that their star player is not at sale, even for £70m.

‘It’s only money after all and we are trying to build a team here at Arsenal, not destroy one,’ chairman Peter Hill-Wood tells the Express.

England’s cricketers have done a pretty good job of destroying the opposition this summer – and South Africa will have to fight back without the services of Nicky Boje, who broke his leg during Tuesday’s match.

Also absent is Lance Klusener, who (says the Express) is to take legal action against the South African Cricket Board for leaving him out of the tour party.

The hard-hitting all-rounder is claiming unfair dismissal in a case that could have interesting repercussions for the rest of the sporting world.

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Posted: 10th, July 2003 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink